


Restful

by weisswinds



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:41:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22907170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/weisswinds/pseuds/weisswinds
Summary: In the years following Edelgard's unification of Fodlan, the new Countess Varley has remained busy. Their work didn't end with the war by any means. Between the hustle and bustle of ushering in a new age, Bernadetta finds rest and joy with the man she fell in love with.
Relationships: Raphael Kirsten/Bernadetta von Varley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 16





	Restful

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for a server fic/art exchange, hope you enjoy! I recommend https://youtu.be/Ai841xucDPE to accompany this piece.

Soft morning sunlight poured in through an open window, birdsong accompanying the invited breeze. Another peaceful day was under way for the Varley household. It was to be a well earned "personal day". The years following Fodlan's unification under Edelgard had been, in a word, busy. Sweeping reforms didn't make themselves, it turned out. The new Countess Varley faced the day to day challenges with an ever present smile to encourage her. Nothing seemed scary when Raphael's big smile came to mind, nothing too daunting with his encouragement. 

It was the same smile that now peered around the doorway into the sitting room Bernadetta was relaxing in. There were cushions around, and a large couch laden with pillows. She sat cross-legged on a cushion with various sketchbooks in a semi-circle around her, some open, some closed. Under a simple grey house dress, her stomach was just beginning to grow round. Bernadetta had let her hair grow out, falling straight to the middle of her back. 

Raphael watched her work for awhile, unnoticed for the time being. Drawing in one sketchbook, on to the next, a note made for the first, and so on. Her tongue barely poked between her lips, a habit of full concentration. Raphael had first noticed it on a battlefield. It was much cuter when their future wasn't on the line. He tried to keep his laugh muffled, but trying to be quiet never quite worked out for Raphael. Bernadetta looked up at the noise, smile shining bright.

"Hey you," she said sweetly, extending open hands towards him.

He entered the room and took her hands to help her stand, carefully stepping between sketchbooks. They embraced and exchanged a quick kiss. Bernadetta collected the sketchbooks, stacking them neatly on a table as Raphael took a seat on the couch. She took her usual place, nestled safely under his arm, head against his chest. He held her close, a familiar and warm comfort. He hadn't always known how to handle a noble life, and couldn't have without Bernadetta's steady support. Send him to smash the enemy's flank without hesitation. Which was the right fork for fish, however, gave pause.

"What's that you're working on today?" he nodded towards the sketchbooks. 

"Just some room painting ideas," Bernadetta patted her stomach with a contented smile. "We won't need them any time soon, but it's nice to be prepared, right?"

"Mmhm! It's hard to believe I'm gonna be a dad soon. There's no special training for  _ that _ . I uh, I don't think there is at least."

Bernadetta reached up blindly to pat his cheek, smiling when his lips met her palm.

"You're going to be great. If you can help me stop being afraid all the time, you can do anything."

"Except put a crib together."

The pile of splinters had already been disposed of but it lingered in their minds. A silent moment passed between them. 

"Seriously, Bernie, that thing just fell apart."

"I've never seen wood disintegrate without magic. It was kinda impressive in a way. My knight is just too strong for normal cribs."

Raphael left a kiss on top of her head, chuckling as he spoke, "That's right, huh? No regular ol' crib is gonna be strong enough so I've gotta find a tree I can't break and make it out of that!"

"Um. Raphael?"

"Hm?"

"If you can't break the tree anyway, how are you gonna build with it?"

"Hhhhuh… I didn't think of that… One that's just  _ hard  _ to break it is then!"

"Perfect!" Bernadetta giggled, clapping once. 

Another brief silence passed between them.

"Raphael you're not going to go punching down trees later are you?"

"..."

"Y-you were serious?"

"...I stand by it," Raphael joined her laugh, his cheeks red. 

The rest of the morning passed in idle conversation and tender embrace. In the early afternoon, over a light lunch Bernadetta prepared, an idea came to Raphael. 

"Can I hear you play? It's been so long since we've had the time for it."

Bernadetta had just finished cleaning the dishes to the mild dismay of their housekeeper. She turned to lean against the counter and nodded.

"Yeah! I hope I'm not out of practice, it  _ has _ been a long time."

The pair returned to the same lounge, where Bernadetta took a floor cushion with her lute. She sat cross legged with her back to the couch Raphael was on. If she looked up and saw him she was liable to get distracted and make mistakes. She spent a few moments plucking strings and adjusting the tuning. Satisfied, she began to play. 

It was a lighthearted tune, a melody to match the peaceful joy of the day. Her fingers danced along the instrument, precise and confident. There was no sign of the rust she feared. If anything, the instrument sang in her hands more sweetly than ever. She smiled broadly. Bernadetta shut her eyes, grey flashing violet behind her eyelids as her Crest worked its influence. She accelerated, playing faster and faster still. Her fingers danced across the instrument, almost a blur. Bernadetta held the last note until it faded, and applause met her ears. Raphael's big hands made a big noise, to be expected. Bernadetta opened her eyes, confusion plain on her face at the second pair of hands clapping. Standing in the doorway smiling, as radiant as ever, was Dorothea dressed in red. 

"Wah!" Bernadetta fell backwards and dropped her lute at the sudden appearance. She spoke laying on her back, arms reaching towards Dorothea, "Dorotheeeeeaaaa!"

"Well it's nice to see you too!" Dorothea stepped in and took Bernadetta's hands, "Annnd up you go." She pulled Bernadetta into a hug and gave Raphael a smile. "It's good to see you, hanging in there Raphie?"

"You know me Dorothea, nothing I can't handle with my Bernie around."

Bernadetta freed herself from Dorothea's bosom to echo the sentiment. "And nothing I can't handle without my Raphie!"

"You two just never stop being adorable, do you?" Dorothea planted a kiss on top of Bernadetta's head and let her go. 

"Naturally!" Raphael laughed. 

Bernadetta picked up the lute again and sat beside Raphael to idly strum hand exercises. 

"You're not busy today? You seemed pretty swamped in your last letter. How's the new opera coming along?" Bernadetta asked. 

"It's… going," Dorothea frowned, tilting her head back and forth a few times. "You'd think after performing so many writing one would be easy, right? Not. At. All."

"Sounds tough alright. Anything we can do to help?" Raphael couldn't help but bob his head in time with Bernadetta's strings. Even a simple exercise was made heavenly by her playing it. 

"Mhm! Anything you need at all!" Bernadetta agreed, beaming. 

Dorothea beamed right back, looking at each of them in turn. "Heavens you two make such a good team. Anyway, adorable couple aside, might I impose on your guest room for a few days? I think a change of scenery might be just what this opera-to-be needs."

"Sure, of course!" Bernadetta happily began, starting to stand before halting partway at the sight of Dorothea's outstretched palm.

"No no, just stay there and comfortable. I can handle moving a few things into a room."

Dorothea left the doorway, moments later popping her head back in to continue. 

"I mayyy want to borrow you to play that little piece you were just doing, okay? Okay, back soon, think about it!"

"Wh-" was all Bernadetta managed to get out before Dorothea vanished again. 

She blinked a few times, then looked up at Raphael. He saw through the slight frown, the tension in her eyebrows. 

"If she wants to use your music, I don't see what could go wrong. Everything you play always sounds so sweet and relaxing, I could listen all day!"

She turned away from him and leaned back, plucking absently at the lute. Her voice was quiet, thoughtful.

"Playing for you is just fine, or even playing for Dorothea. A whole crowd, though? That's too much for ol' Bernie."

"For old Bernie, sure," Raphael nodded, "But you're not old Bernie anymore. As soon as those people hear what you can do, I bet they fall in love just like I did."

_ Twang! _ Bernie pulled a string far too tight, the sound mirroring her own quiet yelp at the sudden declaration. He always had such a simply honest way about his romance. Her cheeks flushed red, hands returning to absent plucking away, wordless for the moment. 

"You think," she said a minute later, "You think I've come that far, huh?"

Raphael leaned over to kiss the top of her head. "I know you have, because you took me along with you. We've both learned to do lots of new things in the last few years, so just think of this the same way."

"Mmm, it's no fair when you're so sweet, ya know?"

A hearty laugh, "All's fair in love. That's how the saying goes, right?"

Bernie giggled, and set her lute gently on the floor to lean against the sofa. She turned again to find her place under Raphael's arm, head against his chest. 

"Not quite, but close enough."

Their usual, comfortable silence filled the room, broken only by the faint sounds of Dorothea moving her things inside. Bernie spoke quietly to herself a few minutes later, an announcement to steel her resolve for the future. Truth spoken into existence, determination given form.

"Bernie's gonna play in an opera, huh?"

It was an exciting enough thought to stamp out the rest of her fears. Plus it was Dorothea asking her. Bernadetta had always, even on her worst days at Garreg Mach, come through for her friends.


End file.
